The Yarra Valley has long been part of Australia’s wine history. It’s the site of the first vineyards planted in the state of Victoria, in 1838. As local farming and mining industries flourished in the second half of the 19th century, so did the area’s winemaking.
Just a bit inland from Australia’s southernmost coast, the Yarra Valley produces excellent cool-climate wines – elegant and dry styles made from slow-ripening grapes. While these appeal to most contemporary palates, by the early 1900s sweet and fortified wines had come into favor. Wine production slumped in Yarra Valley while hotter regions succeeded producing popular “stickies,” or dessert wines.
In the late 1960s, a new generation of winemakers began planting again in Yarra Valley, focusing on the wines for which the region is once again recognized. Yarra Valley is considered one of Australia’s best sources for the Burgundy varieties Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, as well as for excellent Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz.
